Mariners Vs. Orioles

In the off-season, Baltimore traded its top starting pitcher, Erik Bedard, to the Mariners. The move was supposed to signal Seattles intent to be a serious playoff contender, while at the same time shifting the hapless Orioles into rebuilding mode. But a funny thing happened when the Mariners visited Baltimore in the second series of the season: the Orioles completed a four-game sweep of the supposedly superior Ms, with ex-Mariner setup man George Sherrill (who headed east, along with prize prospect Adam Jones, in the Bedard deal) closing out games just regularly as his former bullpen mates were blowing them. While the grueling 162-game season is baseballs great equalizer, with bad teams inevitably crashing to earth as creamier squads rise, this was certainly a dubious way for the Ms to embark upon their pennant quest. Thankfully, the opportunity for revenge is upon us, in friendlier confines. Safeco Field, 1250 First Ave. S., 622-4487, www.mariners.com. $7-$73. 7:10 p.m. MIKE SEELY